Many times we have germs (use a kleenex, damnit) and run to slam them down on paper (or whatever medium you subscribe to) when in fact it is time to sit and think them out.
I can write wonderful lyrics one or two lines at a time. But music is not haiku, so I am screwed, so to speak. And then, trying to "stitch" these disparate, fragmentary thoughts into a cohesive whole.
Fogetaboudit.
A bigger picture. A larger vision.
I have a couple of childhood friends that are artists. One is a copier - a human copier. Show him and image and he can reproduce it. He used to have an artistic touch in which he'd twist the copy process with his own vision, but that has disappeared.
Another has vision. His pieces are fierce and visceral.
The difference between talent without a vision and talent consumed by a vision.
As a musician, I need to have that large sense of whole. What is the ep, lp, next grammy winner about?
Once I have that idea and flesh it out a bit...oh look, a song! Now it is prose and needs either editing or translating into poetry. But having that outline is the working beginnings.
It is easy to draw a mood for an story and sculpt a musical piece to bring forth that mood. Sad vision? Violins refrain, minor feel with a measured pace and the tears will flow.
Musical composition, for me, is simple. Almost formulaic. I know which intervals sound; patriotic or sad or happy or how a beat of 110 bpm to 165 bpm will make the audience dance involuntarily no matter how bad the piece. (Disco anyone?)
I am McCartney - I can write a melody line you will whistle, but for me to string together coherent lyrics used to be the hard aspect.
However, just like singing while playing, it is something easily rectified. Just apply yourself, practice and, voila. It took me a good six months to become comfortable enough to sing and play in public. And ever since then it has been getting easier.
Lets see what I can whip up this summer.
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